


Duplicity

by VKiera



Category: Magic Knight Rayearth
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eagle being ridiculously sexy, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Romance, Some Humor, death threats with forks, verbal strangulation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-04-11 11:34:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4433993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VKiera/pseuds/VKiera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Lantis and Hikaru elope, Umi and Eagle spend a night discussing it and Hikaru returns a favor in kind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A pretty much direct port of the original on FF.net, with minor edits and corrections. I'm in the process of moving a lot of my work over to here. This particular story was written as a sister fic to royalbk's story Dulcetly, which you can find on her FF.net account. While you don't need to have read her story to understand mine it's certainly more fun that way.

**Duplicity- 2. condition of being double: the state of being double or in a pair (formal)**

 

She was going to kill them.

She was absolutely going to kill them both.

How in the world did she miss it? How in the world did she miss the fact that one of her best friends and her dear cousin were in fact dating and in love, no scratch that, married!

She had to keep reminding herself about that last part.

Umi glared down at her phone on the island counter of her kitchen for the third time that night, as if willing it to ring, to make her best friend call her and explain what the hell was going on and why she’d not felt so inclined to let her in on her…nuptial plans.

But no, the phone did not ring and Umi had to learn about their marriage via her mother, who had heard about it from her brother, Umi’s uncle, family head and Lantis’ father. Who had ever so _kindly_   wanted to know if she had know about her dear cousin’s ‘escapades’ with his secretary. His words not hers.

Umi wanted to pull her hair out she was so annoyed and would have if she’d not just spent a good deal of the day before at the salon. She took a deep breath.

If only her boyfriend were here, he would know how to deal with this, he was Lantis’ best friend after all.

But he wasn’t.

He would have been here if his father hadn’t called him the instant he’d returned from his eight month tour in the Mediterranean on-board the Stennis, and insisted upon his son coming home to visit and attend a campaign fundraiser.

Damn it, it was such a pain dating a Senator’s son, one that happened to be a fighter pilot as well and spent half the year deployed in places he wasn’t allowed to tell her about.

There should be some kind of law against not seeing your boyfriend for eight months, it was inhumane.

The subject of boyfriends brought her back to glaring at her phone, wondering again if she should call her friend or not. If she did she might not be able to refrain from reaching through the phone to throttle her.

Hikaru was momentarily spared verbal strangulation as Umi looked up at the sound of her apartment door unlocking.

Only one other person had a key.

Her heart skipped a beat and she refrained from running into the other room. She was not a lovesick teenager, she would not conduct herself as such. She heard him sigh in that particular way of his and drop his bags in the entryway.

Butterflies started doing aerial maneuvers in her stomach.

‘Oh screw it,’ she thought and nearly sprinted into the other room, stopping  
in the doorway to just drink in the sight of him.

Eight months was entirely too long.

“Well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes…” she drawled in her best sultry tone, leaning suggestively against the door frame.

He looked tired, golden eyes rimmed with red and was probability jet-lagged from the flight back to Tokyo, but he smiled at the sound of her voice. Quickly relieving himself of the rest of his gear he closed the distance between them, gathered her up into a bone crunching hug and simultaneously captured her mouth with his in a kiss that was almost equal parts relieved sigh as it was mummer of satisfaction.

Coming up for air a moment later he rested his forehead against hers and smiled again in that soft almost not noticeable way of his, his real smile, not the one he wore for the public and photo shoots with his father.

Umi pushed his bangs aside and playfully tapped the end of his nose with her pointer finger, “Missed you too, Eagle.”

He didn’t let go of her as he pulled away, one hand in her hair and one resting at the curve of her hip, fingers splayed wide and pressing into the fabric of the overly large ‘U.S. Navy’ t-shirt she was wearing as pajamas. In his haste to kiss her he’d partially pinned her against the door frame, one of his strong thighs had slid between her legs, firmly locking their lower bodies together.

She didn't mind.

“I’m sorry I’m late, if I could have left that fundraiser any sooner I would have. Glad you’re awake though.” The hand on her hip gripped a little tighter, it's warmth seeping into her skin.

Umi pouted and gave him a sullen look, “I don’t see why I have to play second fiddle to your father.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll make it up to you,” he nuzzled into her hair, a soft gentle sigh escaping him. He really was glad to be back, he'd missed these little banters far more than he thought he would. “I promise.” He added as a low mummer behind her ear, sending an enticing shiver down her back.

“You’d better” her voice was filled with a playful warning as he came back up and kissed her again. The breathless contact of lips was interrupted a moment later by his stomach growling. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling against his lips. “When did you last eat?” She doubted he’d eaten on the plane, he must have taken the mid-day flight out of New York and skipped lunch as well. Tokyo was thirteen hours ahead after all.

“Uhm…” a sheepish look through thick lashes was his only answer.

She took hold of him by one of his pants’ belt loops and tugged him with her into the kitchen.

It took probably twice as long as it normally would to pour a bowl of cereal, mostly because he refused to untangle from her long enough to have use of both his hands. He eventually did let go of her to pull himself up onto a bar stool at the counter to finally eat.

“Can’t have you running on empty later, now can we?” she raised a suggestive eyebrow at him and he grinned as he closed his lips over the spoon.

“So I miss anything since we talked last week?” he asked after swallowing.

Umi let a rough laugh escape her and rolled her eyes, absently picking up her phone, “Oh nothing much really, talked to Fuu, her and Ferio are having a nice time in Hong Kong. They promised to bring us back some souvenirs. The idiot in the apartment across the way had some huge party the other night, kept me up for half the night before I went over and let him know how unhappy I was about that.”

The look she leveled his way made Eagle wonder if perhaps he should make sure the man in question was still alive, and if he was, not pressing charges. He spooned another mouthful of cereal between his lips and made an agreeable sound.

“Oh and Hikaru and Lantis eloped,” she added almost as an after thought, blowing a wisp of hair from her eyes nonchalantly.

He nearly choked on his food, coughing several times and reaching for the carton of milk on the counter to wash it down and clear his throat. “Th...they did what?!” he managed to finally stammer out.

“They got married, without telling anyone, right after Lantis’ father announced that ridiculous engagement he had planned out with that blabbing twit Primera and,” at this she picked up a fork from the sink and leveled it at her boyfriend’s forehead, “if you knew they were dating and didn’t inform me you’ll be sleeping on the couch for the next month, alone.”

He went cross-eyed for a moment staring at the possible instrument of his undoing and subsequent banishment to the couch and chose his next words carefully. “I suspected,” he stressed, “that there was something going on between them, but no, I didn’t know they were dating or that they were that serious.”

He pushed the almost empty bowl in front of him aside and gave her a incredulous look, “Besides I’ve been at sea for eight months Umi, I’ve had even less contact with them than you. You really think I knew something you didn’t?”

She put the fork back down, “I know, but you are Lantis' best friend after all and I wanted to be sure. What do you mean by ‘suspected’?”

Eagle sighed, “Well, last time I spoke to Lantis I just…had a feeling you know? He was acting a bit different too, at that last party I attended with his family before deploying…”

“Is this, like some sort of guy thing?” Umi quipped resting her chin in her hands, “Knowing that sorta thing about other guys?”

Chuckling the blond reached across the counter and wound a few strands of her blue hair in his fingers, “Well generally if you’ve been friends with a guy that long you can tell when they’ve met ‘the one’ you know…” Here he paused for a moment smiling, fingers tracing the line of her jaw, "Lantis made a similar comment to me before I shipped out this last time.”

Umi turned a very becoming shade of red and did her best not to melt into a useless heap of blissful mush on the tile floor.

She shook her head, putting aside her own romantic notions for the moment, “This isn't about us, we’re getting off topic…” she eyed him but the corners of her mouth turned up in a small smile she could not force down, no matter how hard she tried.

“I’d still like to know why they left all of us out of the loop, seriously, you think you were surprised? Wait until I tell Fuu, she’ll faint. I, for one, want some explanations out of our favorite redhead and my dear cousin,” thinly veiled annoyance colored her voice.

Looking back down at her phone she let out an indignant huff, “I’m going to call her.”

“Umi its two o’clock in the morning…” Eagle’s words fell on deaf ears as she was already hitting the call button on her phone. “Umi…” she turned and shushed him with a hand over his mouth as she waited with her phone to her ear.

He raised one pale eyebrow at her and then nipped at her fingers in protest, making her jump a little bit in surprise and remove her hand. Whatever retort to that was forming in her throat died as the line picked up.

“Hi-ka-ru! Just the person I wanted to talk to.” The bluennet drawled her best friends name in a dangerous tone; Eagle took a brief moment to reflect on who he should worry about more, Umi or Hikaru.

He couldn’t make out exactly what Hikaru’s reply was from his current position. Curiosity getting the better of him he stood going around the counter to wrap his arms around Umi’s waist and press his cheek to hers in an effort to listen in. She attempted to bat him away, but quickly relented as she was caught up in the conversation.

"You're angry." Hikaru said simply, smart girl, being straightforward was the best road to take with Umi.

"Noooooooo...I'm not. I'm just disappointed, Hikaru. Two different notions. I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to be with my cousin and one of my best friends at their own wedding."

Despite the fact Hikaru could not see her Umi placed a disapproving hand on her hip. "Actually, no! Scratch that one! I'm disappointed because I didn't even know that my cousin and one of my best friends were getting hitched. Or that you were in love for that matter!"

There was a gentle sigh from the other end of the line.

"Sorry, Umi." Hikaru replied quietly, "We didn't think it would come to this. We planned to tell everyone, inform our families and settle any problems." At this point Hikaru’s voice took on every bit the tone a bride to be would have sounded like. "Lantis wanted me to have anything that would make me happy; he didn't want to rush..."

“Hikaru…” Umi sounded more sympathetic now; she’d sunk against Eagle in the intervening moment between her rant and Hikaru’s explanation.

"But you know...his father and his newly announced engagement...Lantis thought that if anyone knew before everything was completed, we would...you know." Here Hikaru’s voice broke a bit.

“Be separated?” Umi sighed herself, running her fingers through her hair. "I wouldn't have allowed such a thing, Karu. You know I wouldn't have - if I had only known."

"But I'm just a secretary..." A meek reply from the redhead.

Of all the ridiculous things for Hikaru to say, Umi rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated look to Eagle, who nodded in agreement with her silent aside to him.

"A secretary?" Umi went on in a mocking tone, "Well what do you know...I never thought about that. I'm sorry. I forgot I should've been a snob!"

“Umi, that’s not nice!” Hikaru words were disapproving but despite that she sounded relieved that Umi took her side so passionately. As if there were any other option in Umi’s mind, please. Her best friend's happiness came way before her families inflated sense of ego and media image. The press could kiss her ass. She'd pretty much told them such when the media got wind of her dating an American pilot, though there'd been more fuss about his father running for office than about Eagle's own service record. But that was another story.

"Who cares? We...we're moving away from the real subject here! I still have to give you an earful about this. Do you even know what I've had to hear from my uncle these last few days? He keeps mumbling about his 'stupid son' every five minutes or so and if he's not beating down his 'reckless heir', he's rambling about meeting his new daughter-in-law like a madman. Says that the clan needs to meet the new addition...the clan Hikaru! Like we're the freaking Italian mafia or something!" Umi’s voice had risen in pitch as she ranted and she had to take a deep breath to calm herself before she could continue, she chose ignored Eagle’s low chuckle at her last comment.

"This is going to be big, Karu." Umi added feeling a bit relieved herself after ranting her own issues to her friend. "Everyone wants to meet you and this is not negotiable. In light of such, consider yourself forgiven on my part. You'll have enough issues with your husband's father soon enough."

Umi was certain Hikaru was turning a few shades paler on the other side of the phone.

“You’re a sadist,” was the girl’s frank reply.

"I know," Umi cackled gleefully. "Eagle tells me that all the time. He's right too. Now...is my dearest cousin there by any chance? I want to have a word with him too..." Eagle gave a low, amused sound at her comment to Hikaru and pressed a kiss behind her ear, mouthing his way down her jaw line. Doing his best now, she was sure, to distract her, she gave his ear a tug and attempted to pay attention to the conversation at hand.

He playfully nipped at her fingers again and she flicked the back of his neck, giving him a warning glare to behave, and he withdrew, grinning and began to put away the cereal and load the dishwasher.

There was a brief pause on Hikaru’s end, “He is now…” her tone matched Umi’s earlier gleeful quip.

"Someone sounds happy..." Umi chimed. "Tell me, Karu...is he worth having to meet my family?"

"Oh for God's sake, Umi," Hikaru wined, sounding every bit over Umi’s poor attempts to tease her. "Does your family plan to eat me for dinner? Don't say yes unless you've talked to the cook, please and let me worry about your inhuman relatives. If I married Lantis, I can cope with his father just fine. Wait...does his mother hate me too?"

At this Umi laughed out right and did her best to assure Hikaru that she was safe on that front.

During her explanation she started to get the feeling that Hikaru wasn't really paying much attention, as most of her replies were more along the lines of agreeable hums. Grinning, for she had a very good feeling about the exact reason for the redheads lack of attention to their conversation, she let their call end there, proclaiming that she had to go, for is she talked to Lantis now Eagle might feel left out and she wouldn’t want him to feel _neglected_ in any way.

Currently making coffee, Eagle scoffed at that last comment before she hung up.

“Neglected indeed,” he took a sip of coffee eyeing her over the rim of his mug.

“Who wouldn’t let go of me long enough to eat?” She teased, sashaying over to him and placing her hand over his coffee mug to lower it out of the way.

He only grinned in response, “So…how’s Hikaru holding up?”

“I think she’ll be fine. My uncle wouldn’t know a good thing if it slapped him, besides I’m sure Lantis’ mother will love her. She liked you didn’t she?” Umi filled her own mug with coffee now, it was delicate and white with a gold handle, a gift from Eagle when he’d been in Paris the year before.

“You sure your family liking me didn’t have anything to do with my father?” Eagle half joked, “Or that my family’s pretty well off?”

Umi rolled her eyes, “Yes, I’m so dating you for your money.”

It was Eagle’s turn to laugh now, “You know, funny thing about that. You mentioned your family acting like the mafia to Hikaru earlier. Did you ever get around to telling them where my family got most of its money from originally?”

“No and I don’t plan to! They do not need to know your great grandfather ran bootlegged whiskey across the Canadian border to Detroit and Chicago in the 30s! Don’t you ever tell them either, my mother would have a fit. You know how much of a scandal that would be?”

“More of a scandal than the next C.E.O and heir apparent eloping with his secretary?” he inquired in a mocking disapproved tone.

“Do you really want to sleep on the couch that badly?”

Eagle set his mug down and gently pried hers away setting it aside. “Now we both know that’s not going to happen.” Her back was to the counter as he leaned over her, hands gripping the counter, trapping her between his arms. The blue tinted laughter in her eyes let him know she was teasing and the soft curve of her neck made him badly want to do what’d he’d been aching to do to her since he first walked in the front door.

“Oh really? You sure about that?” Umi challenged and did her best not to let her serious expression slip, her fingers were already in his hair.

A hand on her bare thigh and a muffled ‘umph’ as his mouth covered hers was his only reply. His hand slid up thigh and hers down his back, finding their way under his shirt she dug her nails into his back.

It was a wonder they made it into the bedroom at all.

Sometime later in the wee hours of the early morning Umi lay on her stomach with her head pillowed on her arms, sighing in contentment as Eagle mouthed a kiss along the line of her back and over her shoulder.

She idly thought that if Hikaru was anywhere near as happy as she was right now then all of this really would work out just fine.

“What are you thinking about?” Eagle momentarily paused at his onslaught of her skin.

Looking back over her shoulder at him she smiled as he gazed back up at her through thick lashes, lips grazing the skin of her lower back.

Sighing once more she rolled over, her movements slow and unhurried, as she untangled one of her legs from the bed sheet.. “I just hope they’re happy you know, Lantis and Hikaru.”

Pressing a kiss to where the rise of her hip gave way to the flat of her stomach Eagle gave a thoughtful mummer and rested his chin there. “I’m sure they’ll be fine, this is Hikaru and Lantis we’re talking about. Like anything could really stop them if they want something.”

He moved then, slow, unhurried, with a smile that was a sleepy, sexy, incorrigible thing, to sell down on top of her again, “And look on the bright side, we may have missed out on their wedding, but at least you didn’t have to wear a hideous bridesmaid dress.”

Umi dissolved into laughter beneath him.

It took her a moment to find her voice again as she wiped tears from her eyes, “As if I would ever let Hikaru pick out ugly bridesmaid dresses. How do you feel about missing out on planning the bachelor party?”

Eagle paused for a moment, considering, “You think it’s too late to talk them into actually having a proper wedding?”

Umi snorted and traced a finger along his collar bone, “Right, because I’m sure Lantis feels deprived of the stripper party you and Geo would plan and half the male guests showing up for the wedding hung over."

“No, if I did that Ferio would be the only one who lost his clothes. May I remind you what happened at Fuu’s birthday party last year?” He raised an eyebrow in query, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Oh dear God no, please don’t. He’s never allowed to drink tequila ever again for a reason.” She rolled her eyes, her nose scrunching at the memory, “That was more of Ferio than I ever wanted to see.”

Eagle laughed again, moving down to settle between her legs putting most of his weight on his elbows so as not to crush her. “You know,” he added as he traced a delicate patter on the skin below her breasts, “Everyone seems so worried over Hikaru meeting your family that I think they forgot something just as important.”

“Like what?” She hooked her legs around him, her heel digging into his lower back as he slid lower down her body.

“Like the small fact that Hikaru has a family too. A family with three very, very protective older brothers, all very skilled in kendo, who have no idea their baby sister was even dating someone, let alone that she went and got married with telling them.” He pressed a kiss to her inner thigh, his eyes laughing, “Frankly, I pity Lantis more.”

Umi looked down at him, her mouth open in a tiny ‘Oh’ but she didn’t speak for a moment until finally, “And Hikaru thinks _I’m_ a sadist?”

Eagle smirked at that and pressed his mouth to her then and Umi didn’t have the breath to say much of anything after that.

 

_Later that morning, somewhere on the other side of the city._

 

Hikaru was sitting at her kitchen table, watching Lantis make breakfast and eyed her phone curiously, she’d tried to call Umi back several times this morning, but to no avail, she hadn’t picked up. Odd, Umi nearly always picked up, even early in the morning.

“I wonder if she forgot her phone somewhere again…she did say she wanted to talk to you last night.” She looked up as he set a plate of eggs and bacon down in front of her.

Lantis gazed curiously at his wife for a moment, “Well, isn’t Eagle due back from seeing his family? I know his tour is finished, he called me week before last and said he’d be back soon.”

“I think so, she acted like he was there last night. I think I heard him in the background while we were taking, why would that matter?” Hikaru poked her fork into the eggs, a little on the runny side, just the way she liked them.

Lantis gave Hikaru a slightly bemused look and cleared his throat, smiling just a tiny bit, “Hikaru, they haven’t seen each other in eight months. What do you think they’re doing?”

Hikaru froze mid chew, confused for a brief second before his implied meaning dawned on her, “Oh…OH…” she blushed and giggled. “Well I suppose I’ll return the favor and not bother her while she’s…busy” she hummed happily and ate her eggs as Lantis raised a questioning eyebrow at her. He seemed plainly curious as to what she meant, but was too polite to ask.

Hikaru only smiled.


	2. Playing with Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eagle contemplates the down side of cellphones, Hikaru is super excited, Umi is none the wiser and Lantis contemplates the perks of playing with fire and a proposal is-Proposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops I tripped and wrote another fic set in this AUs world, written for Hikaru x Lantis week on tumblr, day 3 theme: Family.

His phone was ringing. **  
**

A mumbled swear crossed his lips, he could’ve sworn he’d left it on airplane mode, just so he wouldn’t have to answer any calls today. His girlfriend knew better than to call him when he was this jetlagged.

His girlfriend also knew they’d both been up until well into the early morning hours to ‘celebrate’ his return after being deployed at sea for eight months. She’d been gone a few hours already, how the hell she always managed to get up for class on time was beyond him.

A heavy yawn, he squinted at the closed blinds and contemplated smothering himself with his pillow, or at the very least hiding under it until his phone stopped ringing. He felt like he’d only been asleep a few hours, which he most likely had.

But it could be important, it could be his father, or Geo, or…

Another swear and he reached around blindly for the nightstand and grabbed the offending piece of technology.

“Hello?”

“Eagle, you do know it’s one o’clock in the afternoon don’t you?” Lantis’ deep voice reprimanded him.

Eagle sighed, “Jetlag sucks okay? Did you call just to berate me about my sleeping habits?”

“No, I called to formally invite you to Hikaru’s ‘introduction’ into my family this afternoon.”

“You know when you say it like that you make Umi’s mafia comparison sound even more possible right? Is there something you’d like to tell me about?” He chuffed with laughter into the phone.

It was Lantis’ turn to sigh, “Please don’t say that around Hikaru, she may start to actually believe you. She’s worried enough as it is.”

Threading his hand through his hair Eagle sat up, now more firmly awake, “How’s she holding up?”

On the other end of the line Lantis watched his new wife scurry back and forth from the closet to the mirror, hopping over shoes and discarded outfits as she went. Hikaru stared at herself in the full length mirror a moment, gave a frustrated pout to her reflection and then began pulling her clothes off, for the third time. “She’ll be alright, just a little nervous.”

“Well it’s not everyday you join a mafia family.”

“Eagleー”

“I’m only joking Lantis. I know all too well what it’s like to be ‘introduced’ into your crazy family. May I remind you of your father’s assessment of me at the first dinner party I went to with Umi? And she’s only his niece.”

Lantis did remember, Umi had been fortunate. Eagle had been cool under fire and used to the kind of questions Lantis’ father had asked. Eagle’s own father was a US senator after all, with rumors of running for president in the next election. Eagle was used to being scrutinized. Hikaru, not so much. Secretly Lantis thought his father had only approved of his cousin dating Eagle because he considered him a possible political connection. His father would be sorely disappointed, Eagle was far more concerned with his duties as an officer and a pilot over playing politics.

“You sure this was the best way to go about this Lantis?”

“It may not of been the best way, but it was the only way to keep my father out of my personal decisions. You knew I was going to ask Hikaru to marry me weeks ago.”

“Yes, but I didn’t know you were going to elope either. All of which I will vehemently deny if ever asked. If Umi finds out I knew anything about it she might actually kill me, or banish me to the sofa for a month. I am not sleeping alone with an angry girlfriend for you, best friend or not.”

Lantis frowned as Hikaru hopped past him trying to strap on a pair of red sandals. He eyed her wearily, ready to catch her if she tripped over the innumerable amount of items on the floor. There couldn’t be anymore clothes in the closet could there?  “I’m sorry if I’ve put you in a difficult situation, but I wanted to talk to someone about it and Ferio talks too much when he drinks.”

Eagle snorted, “True enough.”  He began to rummage around for his own clothes on the floor by Umi’s bed, “Have you called Umi yet?”

“Yes, I’ve already spoken to her.”

“She threaten to scalp you?”

“Not yet, but she said she’d definitely be there at the party tonight.”

“Hikaru will be fine you know, how can anyone not love her, I mean really now?” Eagle meandered into the living room after getting partly dressed and began to rummage around in his duffle bag. He was going to have to hop in the shower as soon as he got off the phone. “What time is the dinner?”

“At 7 tonight,” Lantis reached out for Hikaru as she came back by, half dressed in a blouse but no skirt, and looped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, sending her sprawling onto his lap. She gave a light squeal in protest. Had she any idea how maddening it was to watch her pull her clothes off like that. It made him want to pull what little clothing she had on right back off again.

“It’s supposed to be informal, but I assume you know how that goes.” He placed a kiss on the corner of her lips and her pout faded, “I’ve already told Umi, she said you could come as well. Fuu and Ferio won’t be back from Hong Kong until the end of the week though.”

Hikaru eyes lit up as she realized who Lantis was talking to, “Welcome back Eagle!” she chirped loud enough to be heard.

She could hear Eagle laughing on the other end of the line.

“I’m looking forward to seeing you both tonight.” Eagle smiled and pulled the rest of his clean clothes from his duffel bag, when a small box came tumbling out along with them. He stopped for a moment and picked up the tiny red box, a faint smile on his lips as he clicked it open to inspect the ring held inside. “If things get to be a bit too much; I can think of a good distraction for you.”

“….are you going to ask Umi tonight?” Lantis asked, genuinely surprised.

Hikaru perked up instantly at that, a huge grin spreading across her face.

“I’m not sure, perhaps if the moment strikes me” Eagle tucked the box back into his bag. “It would take the heat off you two for the night.”

Lantis paused for a moment and met Hikaru’s gaze, her eyes were bright, shining red, she seemed really excited now about what this party might bring. Eagle could practically hear the rueful smile that pulled at Lantis’ mouth, “I don’t mind, after all I’ve always been fond of playing with fire.”


End file.
